I saw Brendon Green in the 2014 Comedy Festival in Some More Mr Nice Guy, and it was one of the most well written shows I had ever seen. Brendon danced us backwards and forwards, weaving call-backs and flash-forwards with a deftness far exceeding his age as a comic.

James Acaster is going to be a very expensive comic to see next time he comes back to New Zealand. I fully expect him to be at the Opera House charging like $50 to see him. And he’d be worth it. Because this was one of the best comedy festival shows I’ve had the fortune of seeing.

When we settle ourselves in for Rose’s show there’s an organist playing, it’s the soundtrack of just about every funeral you’ve ever been to and is a nice touch to what is an entertaining, funny, yet somewhat frustrating hour of comedy.

Laura Daniel is probably the most likable comic I’ve seen on stage in some time. It’s a personality characteristic that is often neglected by comics, but for Laura I’m pretty sure it’s natural and just down to a charismatic, charming and funny persona.

I saw Arj Barker for the one and only time in a gala show a few years ago. I wasn’t that impressed with his ‘surf rock’ comedy then, but the thing with gala shows is that you get a 5 minute slice of a comedian’s repetoire.

Oh hi! It’s me, constant improvisor and international feminist killjoy Jennifer O’Sullivan, here to guide you in your navigation of the always-dude-heavy comedy festival programme and to remind you that yes, women are diligently doing their thing and carving out their place in the comedy world.*